Heel with replaceable lift



July 26, 1966 R. B. ANTELO HEEL WITH REPLACEABLE LIFT Filed May 26, 1965INVENTOR Foam/ 0342 44/1 2220 United States Patent 3,262,221 HEEL WITHREPLACEABLE LIFT Rodolfo Barriga Antelo, 6802 Dartmouth St., ForestHills, N.Y. Filed May 26, 1965, Ser. N 0. 458,851 Claims. (Cl. 36-34)This invention relates to heel structures and more specifically to anovel and improved heel with a replaceable lift useful for ladies highheel shoes and other related applications.

Ladies high heel shoes are usually provided with a relatively slenderheel having a cushioning and gripping element or lift on the bottomthereof. This lift is usually made of rubber, leather, plastic or thelike and is generally secured to the heel by an elongated screw whichextends upwardly through the center of the heel. This arrangement isnecessary because of the narrowness of the lower portion of the heel.Furthermore, because of the relatively small area, usually less thanone-quarter of a square inch, the pressures to which the heel issubjected are substantial with the result that the lift must be replacedfrequently. Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide anovel and improved heel structure for womens shoes wherein the bottomcushioning or gripping element or lift may be readily and easilyreplaced.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel andimproved heel structure for womens shoes.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of anovel and improved replaceable lift for womens shoes.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomemore apparent from the following description and accompanying drawingsforming part of this application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a womans shoe in accordance with theinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the heel structure on the shoeshown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2 taken along the line 3-3thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lower portion of theheel shown in FIGURE 2 and the replaceable element adapted to be securedto the bottom of the heel.

The heel in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 1 andgenerally denoted by the numeral 10. While a relatively high heel isillustrated on the shoe, it is of course apparent that the heel may bemade of any desired height. In accordance with the invention, the lowerend of the heel or lift 11 is readily replaceable so that the user caneasily remove the worn-out lift and apply a new lift when necessary.

More specifically and with reference to FIGURES 2 through 4, the body ofthe heel is generally denoted by the numeral 12 and in accordance withconventional practice may be of any suitable material, such as plastic,metal or the like. Aluminum is a customary material for heels because ofits lightness in weight and substantial strength. The lower portion ofthe heel body 12 has a downwardly extending projection or lift receiver13 which is smaller in area than the bottom surface 12 of the heel body12 and preferably formed integrally therewith. The lift receiver 13 hasa fiat forward surface 14 which is disposed generally parallel to theforward surface of the heel body 12. The remainder of the lift receiveris generally similar in contour to the contour of the heel andterminates in a rounded back portion as may be observed more clearly inFIGURE 4. The backside of the lift receiver 13 has a vertical channel15, while the 3,262,221 Patented July 26, 1966 forward surface 14 has ahorizontal channel 16. The base of the lift receiver has a peripheralchannel 17. For ease in attaching a lift to the lift receiver, it isdesirable to taper the lift receiver 13 so that the area of the bottomsurface 18 is slightly smaller than the area adjoining the surface 12'.

The lift 11 is preferably made of a slightly resilient material such asrubber, plastic or the like which will afford adequate strength and havegood wearing qualities. The outer contour of the lift 11 corresponds precisely to the contour of the heel body 12 at the point where it joinsthe lift. The central opening 19 in the lift 11 corresponds in contourto the lift receiver 13 and ineludes a vertical ridge 20 whichcooperates with the vertical channel 15 in the heel receiver, atransverse ridge 21 cooperating with the transverse ridge 16 in the liftreceiver and a peripheral ridge 22 which engages the peripheral channel17. The opening 19 is generally tapered to coordinate with the taper ofthe lift receiver 13. While this taper is relatively shallow, itprovides sufiicient difference in area to facilitate attachment of thelift. Furthermore, since the lift has a slight degree of resilience, itwill expand sufficiently to permit the peripheral ridge 22 to slide overthe body of the lift receiver and will also deform sufficiently topermit the transverse ridge 21 to pass over the forward surface of thelift receiver. As soon as the lift is in place on the heel body 12, theperipheral ridge 22 will tightly engage the peripheral channel 17 tosecure the lift in place. The lift is further secured by the cooperationof the ridge 21 with the groove 16. Twisting of the lift relative to theheel is of course prevented by reason of the non-uniform contour of thelift receiver and the cooperation of the vertical ridge 20 with thechannel 15.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changesmay be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof asdefined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A heel with a replaceable lift comprising an elongated heel body, alift receiver carried by said body and projecting downwardly therefrom,a cup-shaped lift removably engaging said lift receiver, and cooperatingmeans on said lift receiver and said lift for securing said lift inposition on said lift receiver, said lift receiver including avertically disposed channel on one side thereof and extending throughoutthe length thereof and a horizontally disposed groove on another side ofsaid receiver and wherein said lift includes a vertically disposed ridgecooperating with said vertical channel and a horizontally disposed ridgecooperating with said horizontal groove.

2. A heel with a replaceable lift according to claim 1 wherein said liftreceiver is tapered to provide a lower end portion of slight-1y smallerarea than the portion adjoining the heel body and wherein said lift hasa central opening for engaging said lift receiver, said central openingbeing tapered so that the area of the bottom of said opening is slightlysmaller than the area of the upper portion.

3. A heel with a replaceable lift comprising an elongated heel body, alift receiver carried by said body and projecting downwardly therefrom,a cup-shaped lift remov-ably engaging said lift receiver, andcooperating means on said .lift receiver and said lift for securing saidlift in position on said lift receiver, said lift receiver including aperipheral horizontal channel adjoining the heel body, a verticalchannel extending lengthwise of the lift receiver and a horizontalchannel spaced between the upper and lower extremities of said liftreceiver and in a position spaced from said vertical channel and whereinsaid lift includes a central lift receiver opening, a vertical ridge onone wall of said opening for cooperation with said vertical channel, ahorizontal ridge on another wall of said opening for cooperation withsaid horizontal channel and a peripheral ridge about the edge of saidopening for cooperation with said peripheral channel.

4. A heel with a replaceable lift according to claim 3 wherein said liftreceiver and said opening in said lift are tapered.

5. A heel with a replaceable lift comprising an elongated heel body, alift receiver carried by said body and projecting downwardly therefrom,a cup-shaped lift removably engaging said lift receiver, and cooperatingmeans on said lift receiver and said lift for securing said lift inposition on said lift receiver, said lift receiver including at leastone rounded Wall portion and one opposing plane wall portion, saidrounded wall portion hav ing a vertical channel extending throughout thelength thereof and said plane wall portion having a horizontal grooveextending transversely thereof and between the References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,956,352 10/1960 Goldstein 36363,149,427 9/1964 Seibert 3634 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,200,628 6/ 1959 France.

1,240,277 7/ 1960 France.

1,342,738 9/1963 France.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

1. A HEEL WITH A REPLACEABLE LIFT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HEEL BODY, ALIFT RECEIVER CARRIED BY SAID BODY AND PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM,A CUP-SHAPED LIFT REMOVABLY ENGAGING SAID LIFT RECEIVER, AN COOPERATINGMEANS ON SAID LIFT RECEIVER AND SAID LIFT FOR SECURING SAID LIFT INPOSITION ON SAID LIFT RECEIVER, SAID LIFT RECEIVER INCLUDING AVERTICALLY DISPOSED CHANNEL ON ONE SIDE THEREOF AND EXTENDING THROUGHOUTTHE LENGTH THEREOF AND A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED GROOVE ON ANOTHER SIDE OFSAID RECEIVER AND WHEREIN SAID LIFT INCLUDES A VERTICALLY DISPOSED RIDGECOOPERATING WITH SAID VERTICAL CHANNEL AND A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED RIDGECOOPERATING WITH SAID HORIZONTAL GROOVE.